I Am Number Three
by Discordant Night
Summary: What if Three was helped by a Mogadorian, one who didn't share the other's beliefs? When Three is saved by a kind Mogadorian, the Battle for Lorien begins. He will stop at nothing to reunite with the other Garde, and that includes tearing down the world itself. Rated T for language, blood and gore, and excessive Mogadorian guts. A little OCs, Legacies, and Inheritances.
1. Chapter 1: Mog Rescue

They came in the night. My Cepan woke me, telling me in hushed tones to get my things, and my Chest.

The Mogs were here.

I can still feel the first two scars being burned into my leg, as if a branding iron was being welded to my skin. I had no wish for the other 6 after me to have my number burned into their legs, so I followed my Cepan's orders, grabbing my chest and wiping away any trace of our being there.

Within minutes we'd destroyed any evidence of our existence in this town, the small city in Kenya. Nothing on the internet to suggest that we'd lived here, and no documents in the records to prove we were here.

We were still too careless for the Mogs to find us; too reckless in training and not reclusive enough when choosing our home. Somebody had been watching us, tracing our every move the last month. I knew this too well, but I was scared; if they knew I knew, then they might send others to hurt me, or even my Cepan.

A crash in the trees broke into my thoughts, my head whipping up and to the left. My Cepan, Makara, flashed some hand signals. I nodded, understanding what she meant. I was to stay here, while she checked out the disturbance. Rising quietly, Makara set off in the direction of the noise, while I readied my Legacy.

I only had one Legacy, but that was enough. If needed I could turn my own body into a weapon, but it would only last for a few minutes. I could only manipulate one part of my body too, the lower part my left arm. Unfortunately my other powers hadn't had time to mature, leaving me nearly powerless. Focusing on my bones, I morphed my arm into something akin to a sword, with a long, slender blade and a wickedly curved end at my elbow. I'd tried to create other things, but it seemed that the more complex the weapon was, the harder it was to create and the more it drained my energy.

Hiding my weaponized arm under my cloak, I scanned the jungle around me. Nothing out of the ordinary, but I knew something was out there. A trap, maybe? By drawing us out into the open, the Mogadorians could effectively destroy us, and with the trees around, nobody would be any wiser.

A soft, hushed breathing sounded from behind, making me jump. From the trees surrounding me, a single boy stepped forward with his hands raised in surrender.

"I know who you are, Hannu. Or rather, Number Three." The way I reacted told him that he was right. "I've come to warn you."

My face twisted in confusion. "What do you mean, warn me?" I tried to keep the fear from my voice; only a Mogadorian could have gotten so close to our home without being spotted by Makara. "I don't know what you're talking about."

The Mog boy sighed. "I thought it might come to this. Look, your Cepan is out there, about to get jumped by a Mogadorian Squad. I may be a Mog myself, but I don't like the way my family works. I don't think that killing is the answer. They, my kind, think that by conquering the universe they'll control everything. But what is there to control when you've destroyed it all?" He hung his head. "I killed the first one, the one you called Number One. I regret that, but as the humans say, you can't change the past, now can you?"

I shook my head. "No, you can't. But why warn me?"

The boy extended a hand. "I've changed since then. I want to help the Garde, not kill you." He cocked his head, listening for something. A scream sounded, the sound of Makara being killed. Before it died, however, I got one last message from her. "_Go to Florida, find Four. Tell his Cepan to act now!" _

The Mog boy turned back to me, his words faster and more hushed. "It's too late. They must have found her and disposed of your Cepan already. I can't help about that, but I can help hide you. I can lead you away from the others, take you to a safe house."

I nodded slowly. Part of me wanted to trust him, but another part of me was screaming to kill him. Just the fact that He'd killed One was reason enough to skewer him. "And if you're lying?"

He crouched, bringing himself to my level. "Then you can run me through with that arm you're hiding under your cloak." He had no problem saying this, almost as if he was ready for it.

We stood, Me with my Chest, him with a sword he'd pulled from his belt. Holding it aloft, the Mog rushed through the jungle trees ahead of me, slashing the vines and branches down. I followed, ready to cut down any Mogadorians that appeared.

Shouting could be heard from behind us, probably the Mogs who killed Makara. That only made the one in front of me hurry faster.

I swung my head around to look back where we'd come, only to see what I'd feared most. Despite the rather large head start, The Mogadorians had gained on us. I turned back to the one helping me.

"Where to, kid?" My question came out in a pant, my exhaustion beginning to show. "We're running out of jungle, and I'm pretty sure there's more out in the plains.

He nodded, confirming my thoughts. "Yeah, there's definitely more of the squad waiting to ambush you as soon as you exit those trees. However, I can provide a way out." He stopped where he stood, about 500 yards from the tree line. Bending down to the ground, he brushed away a pile of leaves and vines, revealing a metal door set into the ground. Lifting the lid, he jumped inside before motioning for me to follow.

I looked down into the pit, wishing that I had a Night Vision Legacy right now. An object glinted inside, my guide beckoning me down. Holding my breath, I jumped into the darkness before he pulled the hatch shut, an unknown force positioning the leaves on top to hide us.

A spark flashed, then a flame appeared in my guide's hands. He was holding a lighter, an odd thing for a Mogadorian to do, but then again, helping the Garde was odd too. He walked ahead, the light pushing the void away.

"There's a stash of Mogadorian weapons up ahead. You can use them to push through the defenses, possibly wiping out the whole squad at the same time." He spun around, looking me dead in the eyes. "There's also a ship. I can't show you how to work it, but it would be a shame if you just _happened_ to have a hostage who knew how to fly the ship." He said the last part with a smirk, causing me to smile.

"Very well. Would it be a shame if I just _happened_ to steal all of the weapons?" I asked with my own smirk.

"It wouldn't be a shame, it'd be a _disgrace_." We shared a smile, then turned back to the path. Within minutes we'd reached a cavern filled from wall to wall with all sorts of Mog weapons, a few of which I didn't recognize. In the middle of the room was a Mog ship.

Sleek and silver, the ship was obviously built for speed. There was just enough room for two people inside the cockpit, the rest of the space was filled to the brim with weapons. It boasted an unimaginable array of on-board weaponry, not to mention the ones inside the craft, and from that the Mog boy was saying, instantaneous transmission. When I looked at him, confused, he sighed.

"Teleportation. That's how we're getting out of here." I nodded, then began gathering the Mog cannons along the wall, shoving them into my Chest. The Mog boy scooped up the swords, opening the cockpit and throwing them in the back. He pulled the unfamiliar weapons from their casings, checked something and nodded, apparently satisfied before tossing them in the back too.

It was a bittersweet feeling, being able to open my chest on my own now, but helpful in the circumstance. I thanked the stars I was alive, even if Makara wasn't.

A pounding was coming down the corridor we'd come through, echoing loudly in our ears. Dropping the last of the swords into the ship, the boy called out to me in hushed tones.

"Get in the ship! I'll stall them as long as I can." He rushed off to the mouth of our cavern, pulling boulders from the walls and tossing them in a pile haphazardly. Shaking his head, he told me to toss him a cannon. I happily obliged, as long as it meant I'd get out safely.

Shouldering the cannon, he began to fire off shots into the dark, screams echoing each time he shot. Turning to the walls of the cavernous tunnel, he fired once, twice more, then ran as the rocks overhead began raining down, blocking the entrance.

Holding my hand out from the cockpit, I beckoned for him to hurry. He reached the ship, jumped and grabbed my hand, then swung himself into the pilot's seat.

"Ready, Three?" He sounded eager to get out of the tunnel. Nodding, I motioned for him to go ahead.

Punching in a few controls, the Mog boy flew into action. Seconds later the ship was at half power, and in the next minute it was rearing to go. Turning to his passenger, he spoke.

"I'm Adamus. It's a pleasure to meet you, Three. Not as much as it is to smash a few vat-born heads together, but almost."

Smiling, Adamus turned back to the controls and pressed a button, the ship humming underneath his touch. A flash of light shook the cave, then we were gone, out over the ocean.

I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding. Thanks to this boy, a traitor to his own kind, I'd survived. "Thanks, Adamus. I owe you one."

He shook his head. "No, Three. _I_ owe _you_. I was the enemy in this situation, yet you trusted me. For that, I'm grateful."

I placed a hand on his back. "It's alright, man." I held out my other hand, clenched in a fist. "From now on, we're in this together."

Taking my lead, Adamus did a knuckle bump. "I guess we are." He thought for a moment, then added, "Any idea where Four through Nine might be?"

I blinked, taken back. "Before you came, no. However..." I trailed off, putting together what Makara had said.

Adamus turned around, eyes wide. "However what?" He was anxious to get as far away from the squad as possible.

I smiled, the notorious glint in my eye that Makara always said I got right before I did something dangerous. "How's Florida sound?"

* * *

** A.N. **

Hey guys, just thought I might try my hand at a Lorien Legacy, namely Three. He doesn't get much of a story, and while reading Rise of Nine, I thought "How would this be different if Three were here?" And thus, the birth of this story. I know in the movie that Three's Cepan is a guy, but I changed it to a chick because that's just my personally liking. Anyways, tell me what you think!

-Discordian


	2. Chapter 2: A Meeting With Four

It was a short flight from our position over the ocean to Florida, where Makara had told me Four would be. Relatively quiet too, with Adamus at the controls and myself grieving silently for the loss of my Cepan. Makara's death, as necessary as it was, was still an unfair one. She left me practically untrained and powerless.

Ironically, Adamus seemed to grieve for One. A couple times I heard him muttering umder his breath, as if answering questions or giving replies. The word that was always in the responses was 'One'.

A jolt knocked me back into reality as we crash landed in a marsh, the craft retaining power long enough for us to grab most of the weapons and bolt before it sank completely. Typical.

"Well, there goes our transport." Adamus spoke with a laugh in his voice, but why anybody would be happy in these circumstances was beyond me. "Good thing we got the weapons."

He shouldered a Mog cannon, then slung a few swords across his back, Ninja Turtle style. I laughed.

"Really, Leonardo? I thought it was a bad thing we had weapons." Now we were both laughing.

When we finally regained control of our humors, he turned to me. "Anything in your Chest that might help locate Four? Maybe a Loric tracking device or sniffer dog?" The ideas were humorous, but I got the picture.

Opening my Chest, I removed the Mogadorian cannons and the blanket covering my Inheritances, looking for something even remotely resembling a tracking device. I came across a bag of glass spheres, seven in total. Ironic, considering there were only seven Garde left now.

Adamus spoke up when I set the bag down. "I saw something like those once, in One's memories. Her Cepan used them to show the solar system of Lorien."

I looked at him, confused. "What do you mean, One's memories?"

He waved it away. "It's a long story." The tone of his voice told him to leave it at that.

I turned around, looking back in the Chest for something useful. There was a pair of sunglasses, Ray Bans by the look, but not what I was looking for. A little more digging came up with a dagger, a strand of white stones, an oblong black stone, two small cubes, one yellow, one blue, and a black and red gauntlet, among other things.

"Nothing. I can't find anything that could be a tracker, or even something to communicate with." I sighed, defeated.

While packing all the items back in the Chest, the glass spheres slipped from my hands. Bending down to pick them up, I sighed.

When my breath met with the spheres, however, they began to float, glowing and spinning around a central point before converging into a single, larger sphere. A flash of light lit the marsh, and when it faded we were looking at a replica of Earth.

"Way cool." Adamus breathed. "Did you know they could do that?"

I shook my head. "Not a clue."

Two dots flashed on the macrocosmic Earth, both in Florida. One was near the tip, in the marshes where we were. The other was just a couple inches above that, near the curve of the gulf.

Adamus stepped forward, pointing at the dot marking our place. "Is that us?" I nodded, confirming his thoughts. "That's way cool, man." He pointed at the other dot, the one just above us. "That means that this must be Four! Man we are good!"

Another dot flashed on the screen, higher on the map in what looked to be Athens, Georgia. "What the hell? Who's that?" I couldn't believe my eyes.

"Don't ask me, Three. I'm just as confused as you are."

As soon as it had come, the third dot blinked out of existence again. The macrocosmic Earth spun, then split back into the seven orbs and fell to the ground.

"Well, I guess that means we go to the beach, huh Adamus?" I'd always wanted to visit the beach, but never had the chance to because of my... differences.

Adamus nodded. "Yeah, now let's get going. We don't want to miss Four before we even meet him, do we?"

Weapons and Inheritances were replaced in the Chest, then locked up. Taking my Chest in hand, Adamus and I set out north in the direction of the second dot.

_'I'll avenge you yet, Makara.'_

A few minutes earlier in the Gulf, Daniel Jones was flailing around, his hands on fire. Yet strangely, it didn't hurt. His Cepan Henri had told him that this was part of his Legacy of Lumen, fire-resistance.

The giant Earth in their living room had a dot on it, flashing to show where they stood. Abruptly a second dot appeared, flashing a few inches below the first, then a third in Georgia.

"Henri! You might want to see this..."

His Cepan entered the room, then looked at the macrocosm. Sure enough, the second flashing dot was still there. "There's a Garde nearby, and one more in Georgia." He smiled. "Looks like it might begin sooner than I'd thought."

Daniel stood with his mouth agape. "What might begin, Henri?"

His Cepan just chuckled and strode away, leaving his protégé to stare at the globe.

The third dot vanished just as soon as it came. "What the hell?" Daniel looked closer, trying to make sure he wasn't seeing things. The extra dot blinked out of existence too, leaving a very confused, and flaming, alien.

The fourth Garde shook his head, trying to forget about it before his arms started to blister.

* * *

We took off at a run, Adamus and I, stopping every once in a while to consult the giant Earth. Each time we did, the dot hadn't moved, but after three or four checks, the dot vanished. The third dot didn't appear either.

When the dot finally vanished, Adamus freaked. "What are we going to do? If we stay around they're bound to find us!" No need to ask who.

He cocked his head, listening to something, then nodded before heading in a straight line northwest from our current position. "This way." His tone had a voice of authority to it, and I asked no questions.

After a quarter hour of walking, however, I stopped him.

"What's up, Three?" he asked.

I shook my head, trying to piece together the right words. "How... How did you know which way to go?" He hesitated, and I added, "It has something to do with One, doesn't it?"

He looked shocked, then nodded slowly. "It does. Remember I said that I'd seen One's memories?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

He took a breath, as if afraid of what would happen next. "Well, One and I are kinda together..." When my confusion became apparent, he continued.

"My father had a machine built that would allow him to see the memories of the Garde, and by using it, discover the identities of the other eight. I was the guinea pig, as the humans say, the first to test it. It worked, but at a price." He grimaced.

"I was put into a coma for three years, and One's mind was fused with mine. I see her occasionally, and she helps me. She was the one who convinced me that my people are wrong, that their ways are wrong."

When he was finished with the lecture, Adamus turned to the air beside him and smiled. I could only guess that One had shown up while he'd been talking.

"Anyways, we need to get going. One knows where Four is, and we need to get to him before the Squad does. My father is bound to have sent a team to eliminate me."

He started off in the same direction, leaving me to ponder what else might happen.

* * *

Another half hour passes before we could see Four's house, a gulf-side lake-house that looked like it could use a little bit of fixing up.

We aproached from the back, the wooded marshes hiding us well enough in the dark.

Adamus turned to me and dropped the Mog cannon at my feet.. "I'll go and meet with Four's Cepan. You stay here."

I nodded. He obviously knew about the Loric charm, about how we could only be killed in order of our numbers.

As Adamus approached the house, a light shot out from the windows, illuminating him. He held his hands up in surrender, then shouted the same towards the house. He meant no harm.

The back door opened, a pool of light spreading out from inside the dwelling. A man stepped out, not young enough to be Four, and shouted something I couldn't hear to Adamus. In response he drew the swords from his back and placed them on the ground, kicking them towards the man.

Smart move the Cepan made, though if they were really in any danger he would be dead by now. The man walked forwards to meet Adamus, then spoke with him for a few minutes before ushering him inside the house.

A few more minutes passed and they reappeared, along with someone who could only be Four. Adamus motioned towards the woods where I hid, then back to Four, explaining something. The older man nodded to Four.

The Garde flashed his hands towards the woods, lighting my hiding spot.

"Come on out, Three! They know who we are." Adamus's voice was calling to me, beckoning me to reveal myself.

I strode forward swiftly, my Chest under arm and my cloak billowing out behind me. I nodded to Four and the light went out as I approached the house.

The fourth Lorien Garde greeted me with a hug and pat on the back, followed by a handshake from his Cepan.

"It's a pleasure to see you alive, Three. But why show up now?" His Cepan asked.

"I was attacked just a few hours earlier. Adamus here helped me to escape." A wave from my friend. "Plus, I have a message from my Cepan. She says it's time."

The man blinked, taken aback. Finally the grimness of situation set in. "Four, go pack. We're leaving."

A quick look from his Cepan was enough to get Four moving. He turned back to Adamus and I.

"You're coming with us. Both of you."

* * *

Well guys, I hadn't expected this to get so popular within the first hour I'd posted it. Here we see the effects of Three living begin, starting with Four developing his Lumen sooner. Who knows? Maybe there will be even more effects...

Now, I do realize that I made an error in the first chapter. (For those who don't care, skip to the end of the note). For those of you who didn't catch it, let me explain.

The world of the Loric race is split into two sides: Cêpan, and Garde. The Garde have powers, like Four's Lumen, while the Cêpan don't. However, when designing Makara, Three's Cêpan, I mistakenly overlooked the matter of powers.

In the first chapter I had Makara send a telepathic message to Three, telling him to find Four in Florida. However, as this is impossible given the fact that Makara is Cêpan, I must provide an explanation.

Makara is my original character, and even with the short time she was around, I wanted her to be a part of the story. She had to die, yet give some information at the same time to help Three live.

Let's just say that Makara was a little different from the rest of the Cêpan.

I hope this has satisfied those of you who are confused about how Three got the message from Makara.

**Now for shout outs!**

**Arctic Blue -**Thanks, and I will. Three was really the main catalyst of the story, so what would happen if he'd survived?

**Mystery Fanatic No. 1 - **That really is funny. I'll often as soon as school allows me, but you can count on good chapters each time.

**The Specter Playwright - **Thank you, Specter. The concept is good, I'll admit, though all credit goes to Pittacus Lore.

**ZazzyZ -**I update as often as possible, but that doesn't mean that I can update at will. While you're waiting, why not check out my other stories?

-Discordian


	3. Chapter 3: Mogs Suck, School Blows

**A.N.**

**Ok, guys! Shout outs will be at the beginning of chapters now, to answer any questions and give a few hints.**

**MysteryFananticNo1 - Yes, the Loric Charm protecting them will be broken now. I'll get more into that later.**

**Csarcher3 - All in due time, my friend. Six will have her turn, you can count on it.**

Without further ado, I give you, Chapter 3!

* * *

It took less than an hour to pack, Henri and Four moving at Olympic speeds to pack everything in its respective box or case. Adamus rushed around destroying any trace of Four and Henri, tossing everything in a huge pile outside the house.

He decimated everything, from the license plates on the trucks to the dishes; even the table was demolished. When I asked about it, he just shrugged and replied "Trace elements."

It didn't make much sense to me, but I didn't question the decision when he and Henri emptied a pair of gas cans over the debris, lighting the mixture of objects. I understood what was going on.

As the debris pile burned, Four, Henri, and Adamus piled in the Cepan's truck. I stand by the blaze, watching the remains of another fake life go up in smoke, quite literally. Such is the life of a Garde.

I sigh, then climb in the back of the truck next to Adamus. Henri turns back to look at me.

"Ready, Three?" I nodded. "Good."

Throwing the truck in high gear, Henri peels out of the drive and shot down the road, the light of the fire disappearing quickly behind us. Adamus leaned forward.

"Thanks for trusting me, Henri. It means a lot."

Henri cocked his head back, acknowledging Adamus while keeping his eyes on the road.

"I don't trust you, kid. Not yet, anyways. It helps that you came with Three, and that I've heard rumors of rebellious Mogadorians, but we have to stick with the number 1 rule of the Numbered: Trust no one."

Adamus nodded, though his face became downcast. I place my hand on his shoulder protectively, then speak to Henri myself.

"You do realize that if he was going to kill us, he could have done so already? I mean, the Charm is broken now, isn't it?"

The truck pulled to the shoulder with a jerk, the tires screeching to a halt. When we finally stop, Henri turns back to us, glaring first and Adamus, then at me incredulously.

"What?" I ask. "Why did we stop?"

Henri scowled at me, then Adamus, before speaking.

""And I hope _you _realize that he could be carrying a bug on his person, relaying everything said back to the Mog HQ, right? Or have you forgotten?" My blank expression tells him enough. "Did you even think about that, Three?"

I bow my head, ashamed. "No sir." I reply.

Henri nods, then turns back to the road. "I didn't think so."

Adamus is the one who scowls this time. "I'm pretty sure that if I was, you'd be dead already, right Four?"

Four holds up his hands in defense, shaking his head. "Not me, dude. I'm not in this."

We both sigh and Adamus sits back. It's another half hour before anyone speaks. When they do, it's Four.

"Where are we headed, Henri?"

"Someplace safe. I have a friend there," he replied.

There was no talk for a while after that, and I soon fell asleep.

* * *

I wake a few hours later.

We'd been on the road for a good amount of time, and when we finally enter a town, the sun is beginning to rise. Given the fact that we'd left at about 1 or 2 in the morning, I'd say that it's somewhere around 6 or 7. I yawn, causing a chorus of yawning to sound throughout the truck.

Four looked back at the sign we passed, then back at us. "Anyone catch what that sign said?"

"Paradise, Ohio, I think.." Adamus replied. That was news to me, because I thought it said Perry or something.

"We're here." Henri had pulled up into the driveway of a relatively nice house and cut the engine.

A light snapped on inside the dwelling, and a dog began barking. The door opened to reveal a woman in her 40s, maybe late 30s. She walked up to the truck, rather gracefully, I might add, and Henri rolled down the window.

"May I help you?" She asked.

Henri flashed a grin and spoke. "Yes ma'am. I'm Henri Smith. We spoke on the phone a couple hours ago about the property for rent?"

I turned to Adamus with a questioning glance. He shot back a look that said "Later," and I left it at that.

The woman beamed and stepped back, allowing Henri to exit the truck. "Why of course! Please, come inside!"

Henri obliged, leaving Four, Adamus and I in the vehicle. When the front door shut, I turned to Adamus.

"What the hell did I miss while I was asleep? How does she know who Henri is?"

Adamus opened his mouth, only to be cut of by Four. "Here's the deal. Henri called around while you were sleeping, looking for a place to crash here in Paradise. While doing so, he ran across a 'For Rent' sign, so he called the number. That led us here, and now Henri's inside." He wrinkled his nose a little, as if smelling something bad.

"Anyways, now you're caught up."

I mumbled my thanks and leaned back, craning my neck behind me.

A dog was standing at the curb, watching our truck. I jerked upright.

"Uh, guys? Anyone else see the weird little beagle behind us?" I half stammered, half blurted. The other Garde turned around, the action followed by Adamus.

Four turned back to me after a few minutes. "Nothing's there, Three. I think you're seeing things."

I turned to Adamus, who mirrored the words. I sighed and looked back again, only to find nothing.

"Maybe you're right. This has been pretty stressful."

I sighed and sat back, closing my eyes until Henri opened the cab door. Light flooded in, causing my already poor night vision to awry. A couple squints later I was out of the truck and standing in the main room of the house.

Pictures were scattered over the walls, all of a couple and a young girl, who progressively got older. She was fairly pretty, but not my taste. Four on the other hand, was practically drooling. Adamus and I shared a glance that said volumes.

"Please, sit down." A woman's voice instructed. I looked up to see the woman from the picture staring at me. "You must be tired. Would you like some coffee?"

I looked to Henri, who nodded, before answering. Adamus and Four did the same, and when everyone had been taken care of, we all sat down. I turned towards Henri, who was already drinking his. I sat on an ottoman by a chair, Adamus in the chair, and Four sat beside Henri on the couch.

"Are you sure she's safe?" I asked. "I don't want any civilians to be drawn into our problems." I gestured to Adamus sitting beside me. "I mean, it's one thing for a Mog boy to be helping us, but for regular humans? They don't even know what's going on."

Adamus' look was murderous. "Don't forget who saved your life, _Hannu._" I could have easily wiped you out back in Kenya, but did I? No." He spat. "Just remember that when it's all said and done, there's only a handful of people you can trust." He thrust a hand towards himself. "And I'm one of them."

Four jumped into the conversation, enthusiastic as ever. "Well, Adamus, I can just as easily snap your neck, right here, right now." Henri placed a hand upon Four's shoulder, pulling him back.

"Not now, you three. We'll settle this later."

Adamus and Four glared at each other, then spoke in unison. "Yes, we shall."

The blonde haired woman entered the room holding a tray, upon which were three steaming mugs of coffee and some creamer and sugar. Placing the tray on the coffee table in the middle of the room, she turned to Henri.

"I understand you want to lease the house on the outskirts of town."

Henri nodded. "Yes ma'am. How much is required per month?"

I don't remember much of the conversation afterwards, just that Henri and the older woman went into a long discussion over prices and stock. I zoned out, staring out the back door.

A tree was in the backyard, covered in new leaves and bark. The grass was green and flowers bloomed; someone in the family was clearly a gardener. A beaten path led into the woods behind the house, evidence of a nature lover. Probably the same person as the gardener, though I wouldn't bet anything on it.

I looked down at my coffee, the surface of the caffeinated liquid the same tone as my skin. I splashed some creamer in, turning the offending drink into a lighter tan color. Taking a sip, I contemplated how long we'd been on the run.

Makara and I had been in Kenya for a few years, blending in with the locals wasn't too hard. Before that, we had stayed in Australia for some time, but we left for Africa when I spotted some strange men. Turns out that they were harmless tourists, but nonetheless we fled.

I can only guess at how long Four has been running, even before Adamus and I found him in Florida. 8, 9 years, maybe? As to the locations of Five through Nine, it's beyond me.

I sip my coffee again before glancing back at Henri and the landlady. Still negotiating over prices and other things. A quick look at Four and Adamus tells me that they won't be of any help to me, so I lay my head back and rest.

Henri will wake me when he needs to.

* * *

Maren Elizabeth sifted through the ashes of the Florida beach house. A little splinters of wood here, a shred of cloth there, but otherwise nothing.

She cursed in an alien language and raised her head up to the sky, where a weathered face stared back. Clouds darkened, and rain began to fall from the thunderheads. He had been there, she was sure of it.

Maren walked back to her vehicle, a commandeered (okay, stolen) pickup truck whose owner had died a couple days back. Starting the truck, she tore down the road on the trail of Three.

A couple hours down the road took Maren to a gas station in Lexington, Kentucky, where she (unfortunately) needed to fill up. Stepping out of the truck, she pulled a wad of cash from her pocket and paid the pump man, then filled up. She also bought a pack of cigarettes, to calm her nerves.

As the tank filled, the Garde surveyed the area. The man inside could only be human; his stench gave that much away. A couple glancing around nervously might be on the run, but otherwise was no threat.

A click behind her told Maren Elizabeth that she was not alone: a gun was pushed into the back of her head, and a voice spoke roughly into her ear.

"_El dinero en el bolsillo, girlie. Dámelo. ahora._"

Spanish. How she hated it.

The Garde sighed, then reached into her pocket in a show of pulling out the rest of her money. It wasn't much, maybe 20 or 25 bucks, but it was all she had. The hand not holding the gun reached for it, and all hell broke loose.

At that moment, three things happened. The gun against Maren's head was swept aside as she turned and kicked the mugger in the chest, then proceeded to move the gun away from him with her mind. Seeing this, the man scooted back on his ass until he reached a pump, then tried to scramble around said pump.

The Garde approached the would-be mugger, who began to recite prayers.

Maren laughed. Spanish was one of the languages that Katrina had drilled into her. She never thought she'd use it, but you never know. Bending down, she formed the wind around herself and the man, blocking out anything outside of themselves. A light mist gave the impression of wings, a trick she'd learned could be useful in times.

_"Dios no está contento contigo, hermano. Usted ha enfurecido a un ángel de Dios, intentó robar a otro hijo de Dios, y apartado del camino de la rectitud. Si yo fuera tú, me arrepiento, porque nunca se sabe cuando el diablo tendrá su premio._"

The man's face went pale at these words, and his eyes flashed from her to the illusionary wings. Clutching his hands, he began to pray even harder now, clearly terrified by her trick. She began to walk away, but was stopped by the man grabbing her hand.

"_Sí, ángel. Escucho y obedezco. __Por favor, pedir a Dios compasión de mí."_

She nodded, then gripped his hand and smiled. _"Por supuesto, señor."_

He released her hand and began to rock, allowing Maren Elizabeth the time needed to drive away.

Sighing, she tore into her pack of cigarettes and lit one with a flame from her finger, then took a drag.

"It's just going to be one of those days."

* * *

I woke to a frenzy of voices, along with a blanket wrapped around me. I could hear Four and Adamus laughing, then silverware clinking.

Standing, I took in my surroundings. No change.

The landlady poked her head into the room then smiled. "Ah! Good to see you're awake, Ishara. You must be hungry. Come in, John and Adam have already eaten.

My stomach rumbled, solidifying the fact that I hadn't eaten since the other night, at dinner with Makara. I nod. "Thank you, ma'am."

She giggled. "Please, call me Annie." I nod, the sit at the table.

A plate has been prepared, full of eggs, sausage and other meats, and a pile of pancakes. Grabbing a fork, I dig into the meal. A couple pancakes later I hear Henri talking to Annie.

"Would you mind if I talked to Ishara alone? I need to clear a few things with him."

"Of course! Take as much time as you need, Mr. Smith."

Footsteps sound, leading Annie out of the room and Henri into it. He sits beside me as I tear into a piece of sausage, quickly followed by a glass of orange juice.

"Listen up, Three. You are now Ishara Smith, my recently adopted son. Your mother, my best friend, died suddenly in a car accident a couple days ago. Adamus is Adam Carter, Four's half-brother. Four is now John Smith, and I am Henri Smith."

He pauses after what seems an eternity, then continues.

"We came to Paradise because I'm a writer, and I need isolation to work. Understand?"

I nodded, my mouth full of eggs. I'd been through this identity change before, so it wasn't really new to me. The concept of having a Mogadorian in the house, however, was still going to take some getting used to.

"Anything you want to say, Ishara?" He placed heavy emphasis on my pseudonym, as if challenging me.

I swallowed the eggs in my mouth. "Yeah, actually. When do we start training?"

Henri smiled and stood. "As soon as you get back from school. Now hurry up, or you'll be late."

My jaw dropped as I looked at the clock.

"Dammit Henri!"

I crammed the last of the food into my stomach and dashed out the door, barely catching Four and Adam as they ran down the street. I followed in pursuit, my heart pounding against my chest.

"I hate school. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it."

* * *

**A.N.**

Alright guys, after a long wait and an even longer writers block, Chapter 3 of I am Number Three is finally up! Thanks to everyone waited so patiently for this chapter, you guys are the ones who kept me going.

Remember, trust no one.

-Discordian


	4. Chapter 4: School is for Fighting

**A.N. **

**Hey guys, Discordian here. A few quick notes before the story.  
**

**1) I got a few people saying that they don't like Six smoking. I will admit that wasn't my brightest idea. **

**2) I will have Six stop smoking later on, but not yet. For now, however, I will keep the cigarettes with her, but she won't smoke them. **

**3) Original Legacies: Who has them? I will give all Loric 1 Original Legacy, with the exception of Three. Adam gets a few more Legacies too, but nothing too powerful. **

**4) Anyone with ideas for an Original Legacy is welcome to share. **

**Now, on to the Shoutouts:**

**Stjohni: Thank you, and keep watching. I'll be updating frequently.**

**GothGirl69: I'm glad you liked it. As for what happens at school, read on.**

**ZazzyZ: Yeah, it is my story, but I don't like smoking either. Not my best idea.**

* * *

**Chapter 4: School is for Fighting, not for Learning.  
**

We walked in as the mass of students arrived. It was strange, having been away from a "civilized" school for so long, to be here at a normal American high school.

The mindless masses were swarming the courtyard, everyone familiar with each other. Adamus was wringing his hands, while Four was scanning the crowd. I simply looked for a place to sit.

A girl with a camera started photographing the crowd, then turned to us. We were the only ones unfamiliar with the area, so I guess that made us stand out.

As she took pictures, I took a closer look. She was relatively pretty, blonde hair and bluish-green eyes. The feeling she gave off was one of kindness, unlike many of the others here.

When she finished taking pictures, she approached the three of us and smiled.

"Hi, I'm Sarah. My mom is the real estate agent you talked to this morning."

Four jumped up, seizing his chance at conversation. "So you're the beauty in the pictures?"

Sarah laughed. "The one and only. And you are?"

Four turned to Adamus and I, then back to Sarah. "John Smith"

She laughed and turned to Adamus next.

"Adam Carter, pleased to meet you." He stuck out his hand, an offering of friendship. She shook.

"Same here, Adam." I was next.

"Ishara Smith." I nodded, a (very) universal sign of "Hi, leave me alone."

A confused look crossed her face. "You're related?" She glanced from me to Four.

"Not really. My mother died a few days ago, and her will stated that I be left in the custody of John's dad." She nodded, accepting of my lie, before she glanced at her watch.

"Well guys, it's been fun talking to you, but the bells are going to ring any second now. I'll catch you guys later."

With that, she ran towards the main building.

Four sighed, and Adamus burst into laughter. "Man, you should have seen your face! You are sooo in love, Four."

I shot Adamus a look, reminding him where we were. "Adam, maybe we should head to the office and get our schedules?"

He nodded; Four did so too once he snapped from his trance. As we walked inside, a jock in uniform shouldered past us, almost knocking Four down.

We brushed it off as high school assholes, the usual.

A nerdy looking kid wearing a NASA shirt came up beside us and spoke.

"Fair warning guys, stay away from that jock. He's Sarah Hart's ex, Mark James. Biggest asshole in the history of high schools." He laughed at his own joke, the stopped and extended his hand.

"I'm Sam Goode. Are you guys new?"

I shook the outstretched hand. "That obvious, huh?"

He nodded. "You three do stand out a bit. Paradise is a small town, so everyone knows each other."

Four sighed in exasperation. "Just what we need, a nosy jock getting into our business."

Sam laughed. "Tell me about it."

John spoke up. "So if Sarah and Mark broke up, why does he still care?"

Sam shook his head. "It's a long story.

The three of us laughed. "I bet it is." Adamus manages between breaths.

When we finally stopped laughing, Sam looked at his watch. "Dammit. Class starts in 4 minutes. I need to go."

As he turned to leave I grabbed his arm. "Think you can show us where the main office is? You know, first day and all."

He nods and motions for us to follow him. Taking us further into the building, Sam leads the three of us down a maze of corridors and classrooms, finally stoping at a unassuming door. If he hadn't pointed it out, I'm sure I would have walked right by it.

"Here's where you get your schedules. Try and get the same classes, it will be easier In the long run." He runs off, and we enter the office.

Its not really an office, so to speak, but more like an oversized cubicle with a desk shoved inside. A balding man sits at the desk shuffling papers on his desk, trying to find something. He doesn't seem to notice us until Four clears his throat.

He looks up,surprised to see us in front of him. "Can I help you boys?" he asks in an overly annoyed tone.

Four steps forward. "Yes, actually. We just started today, and we need to pick up our schedules." The man nods as if this is an everyday occurance.

"Yes, yes. Your names?"

We give them to him, myself resisting the urge to just say "Three" when he asks mine. Sort of a joke of mine, I like to think.

The man types some things into his computer and hits enter, and the printer whirs to life. It spits out three forms, our schedules. Picking them up, the old man looks over them for one second then hands then to us.

"If you need anything, just ask any one of the teachers. They should be able to help."

We thank him as he ushers us out of the office, then take a look at the classes listed.

My classes are the same as any other high school's: Astrology (a cosmic joke if you ask me), Algebra 2, Athletics, English 2 (that's a laugh) , Lunch, World History (yet another cosmic joke), followed by Home Economics.

Four looks up from his sheet. "Can you believe that we have to take Astrology? That's almost an insult."

"To who? You or the humans?" Adamus adds.

"I don't know.. It doesn't sound too bad. At least it's not Home Ec." I mutter.

John and Adam nod. We all have the same classes, thanks to the hacking program Henri used. Finding a map on the reverse side, we manage to make our way into 2nd period.

* * *

For our first actual class, Algebra isn't all that bad. Sam is in there, so at least there's a friendly face.

The class passes quickly, the bells ringing to signal the end of Mental Abuse To Humans, otherwise known as Math. Sam somehow ends up beside us when we exit the class.

"Its so stupid that we can't skip math. I mean, when are we ever going to use it?" Adam groaned.

We laughed before Sam stops an jerks our arms, pulling us to a stop. I follow his line of sight and groan.

"What? What is it?" John asks.

I don't respond, only nod my head towards the end of the hallway.

At the end of the hall is Mark James, clad in football gear, with what looks like half the team behind him. With them blocking the way, there's no way possible we can get to our classes.

"Dammit." I mutter.

"Ditto." says John.

"Isn't that a Pokemon?" Sam asks.

Adamus turns to him with a blank expression. "What the hell is a Pokemon?" he asks.

I wave away the remark before Sam can answer. "Not now, Adam."

Im trying to formulate a plan that won't get us hurt, or worse, killed. Rifling my brain for solutions, I come up with one I think will send a message to the rest of the jocks here. Turning to Four, I relay the message to him. He nods.

"Dangerous, and violent. I like it."

Sam looks from him to me, his eyes wide. "Are you kidding me? That will get you killed!"

But we've already headed down the hall at a sprint, aiming straight for Mark. Cocking our fists back, we throw a double blow to his body at the last moment.

He doubles over, one hand clutching his stomach while the other is placed on his face. The jocks behind him stand there and stare until he gets up again.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Get them!" he yells. Mark pulls his hand away from his face to see blood; his nose is most certainly broken.

Oops.

The footballers rush forward and throw punches, most of which miss their targets. One lucky guy manages to hit my jaw before he's knocked out by Four. Another takes a low blow, aiming for my jewels.

He hits home, but not before I land a few on his.

When it's down to the last 6, they finally grow some brains and back off, splitting to the sides as to allow Adam and Sam through. The ones on the floor groan, but they'll live.

Probably.

* * *

Maren Elizabeth poked her head into an Internet cafe, looking for somewhere to sit. Spying an empty seat in the corner, she makes her way to it and sits down. Pulling out a laptop from her bag, she begins to hack into the Mog military database just like her Cepan taught her.

A list of names and numbers pops up on the screen and she checks each one.

"One - Terminated." She shook her head and glanced at her ankle. That was obvious. "Two - Terminated. " Again, obvious. "Three - Cepan terminated, Three lost."

This was news to her. The Mogs never lost somebody. Except for her, that is.

"Four - Unknown. Five - Known, under observation. Six - Unknown. " She smirked. So the Mog scum don't know where she is, despite all the activity she'd caused.

"Seven - Spain. Eight - Found, but unreachable. Nine - Captured, unable to hurt. "

Shutting the computer, Maren Elizabeth strode out of the building and continued down the road to her newly acquired car, a beat up Beamer.

Before she reached the car, two men in trenchcoats emerged from an alleyway in front of her.

She cursed herself for being so stupid. She should have scouted the area before she parked the car. Too late now.

The Garde vanished as the trenchcoat clad men approached where she had been, and the sky above the city turned dark. A bolt of lightning struck the first one, blasting him to shreds as the other one stared where he had was too busy to notice that a gust of wind had swirled around him, ripping the coat and hat off.

As the Mog stared into nothing, the invisible Maren approached from behind and made a strike at his neck; decapitation was immediate.

The severed head and body turned to ash, and Maren reappears shaking her hand.

"I hate doing that. It's so disgusting."

* * *

Home Ec wasnt all that bad, really. Turns out Sarah was in our class, which immediately made John drool.

Adam and I were in the process of making pancakes, somethig neither of us had done before. A this point, I was ready to give up.

I glance at John and Sarah, who are in the middle of eating their perfect result. Compared to theirs, mine and Adam's attempt is pretty pathetic.

We struggle for a while more before the bells sound, announcing the end of the day.

We grab our stuff and bolt, not wanting to miss the first day of training. I'm halfway down the hall when I hear Four.

"Ishara! Wait up!" I slow a little, but keep running. I burst out the doors to find Henri waiting by the truck, the doors open. I take no notice of the expression on his face.

* * *

Back at the new house, Henri has set up a series of computers to continuously scan the Internet for any trace of Garde activity, as well as Mog reports and movements.

Though Four tells me that this is nothing new, Im still surprised.

Adamus is marveling at the tech, paying no attention to anything else. I catch him off gaurd with a light jab to the side and he jumps.

"Damn it Three!"

Henri walks in the room carrying my Chest, and Fours is already outside. "Three, Adamus, get outside.

Not ones to question authority, we exit the house and stand in the grass. Henri sets my Chest in front me.

"Open it." he commands. I oblige, and he pulls out a stone I'd given no thought to before: a small, smooth red stone roughly the size of my thumbnail. Weighing it in his palm, Henri turned it over before running it over my skin.

When the stone touches my arm my skin begins to burn, needles of pain spiking through my body. I feel my arm shift in and out of it's weaponized form, my Legacy going wild. A cool feeling replaces the warmth, numbing the pain. My arm returns to normal.

"What-" I'm panting. "What the hell?"

Henri replaces the stone and backs away, moving the length of the yard before retrieving an object I can't identify from somewhere on his person. He holds it aloft, pointed towards me. Then in one smooth motion, he throws it end over end.

As it gets closer, I realize what it is with a shock.

A Mogadorian dagger is flying straight towards me.


	5. Chapter 5 : A Switch in Perspective

**A.N.**

**Hey guys, Discordian here.**

**Shout-out Time!**

**ArcticBlue: Yeah, I agree. I'll try to fit in hydrokinesis somewhere. And Pokemon? That was a little bit of nerd humor there.**

** I Wish I Could Be Number Five: Thanks! I try to update often, but sometimes other things get in the way.**

**Secretly I Am Number Nine : I thought the pancakes were a good touch. Apparently my brother says I measure time in pancakes and songs, so keep an eye out for more stuff like that.**

**I-Love-Trunks1: Well, alrighty then. I like Three too, which is why I started this story. John, Eight and Nine are pretty cool too, but you'll have to wait to see Eight. Also, I've noted that Three could have mind-reading. It's not decided though.**

* * *

**Another A.N.**

**I've decided to keep I Am Number Three true to the actual Lorien Legacy series, in the matter that each of my stories will switch between 3 different POVs. **

**So far we have Three and Six, but there's another Garde that needs their story told.**

**Let's set aside Three, Adamus, Four and Six, and step into the shoes of a different Garde, one that's not so well traveled. **

**Enter the world of Nine, if only for a moment.**

* * *

**Chapter 5: A Switch in Perspective**

I struggle against my shackles, the rough metal digging into my wrists. Tears drip from my cheeks as I watch the room before me, where Maddy and her parents face a monstrous Piken. I can't hear it, but I know Maddy is screaming for me.

"Help us Stanley! Help us!"

I wince as I read her lips.

Turning my head to the Mogadorian guard, I begin to plead for her life, something I'd not normally stoop to.

Then again, this isn't normal.

"Please, stop it! It's me you want, not her. She's done nothing that can endanger your progress!"

The Mog spits in my face and laughs, a nails-on-chalkboard sound.

"Did you say something, worm? I don't think I heard you right."

I feel my blood boil at his words, anger clouding my judgment.

"I'll say it again, then." I spit. Newly found strength surges through my veins as I rip the shackles from the walls and plant my fists in his face, making a square dent in his ugly mug. "I said stop you miserable swine!"

Dark flames erupt from my arms, engulfing my body in heat.

"What the- "

The Mog turns to ash, and within seconds his remains are no more.

I turn to the glass and see Maddy clutching her father on the ground, the Piken closing in.

In a burst of rage I melt the glass, jumping through the hole into the room. The floor tiles shatter under my landing and melt.

Maddy backs away from me, the flames licking over my body as I advance into the area.

"What are you?" Her voice trembles with fear; fear of the Mogs, fear of dying. But most of all, she's afraid of me.

I open my mouth to answer but am cut off by the roar of the forgotten monster; apparently he doesn't like being ignored.

I turn to the monster and scowl, my anger taking over my actions. "You want to take a shot at me too? Go ahead, I dare you."

The beast lets loose an enormous roar and charges, it's massive body gathering momentum. I stand with my arms raised, dark flames rising to the ceiling of the tiny enclosure.

The Piken hits my chest at about 30 miles an hour and I fly backwards into the wall behind me. A roar of defiance sounds from the beasts mouth, proud that it has hurt me; gasps of pain escape mine.

"Stanley, what happened? You shouldn't have been hurt, right?" Maddy's forgotten about my powers, instead worried about me.

"Damn Charm's broken." I manage. "I can be killed just like the rest of you now."

I use my mind to assess the damage, to see if I'm hurt.

After a quick but tender prodding, I finally determine the extend of my injuries: two bruised ribs, one fractured rib, and my coccyx feels like it's been dislocated. My left arm is definitely broken; I don't need my powers to tell me that.

I struggle to my feet and wince as my arm falls uselessly to my side. "Fuck this shit." I grunt.

Clenching my good fist, I let out a yell of my own, causing both Maddy and the Piken to cower as the dark flames rise even higher.

I thrust my arm in the Piken's direction, pure rage filling my mind.

**_"Burn in Hell, you sorry son of a bitch!"_ **My voice is filled with malice and hate as I direct my power to the beast.

Ribbons of black fire arc towards the Piken, burning it's limbs and torso with the sickly sweet odor of Death.

The Piken screams, but I hear nothing through the blood pounding in my ears. Flipping my center of gravity, I run up the to the scorched ceiling and drop onto the back of the Mogadorian beast. My flames burrow into it's flesh, making the Piken scream in anguish.

I press my hand to the monster's back and let my rage flow free, channeling all of my anger and hate into the the body of my enemy as I let out a roar that shames all others so far.

Slowly my flames disappear, though where they go to is anybody's guess.

I slump forward as the Piken gives a final shudder and crumbles to ash, dropping me to the ground in a cloud of gray. I grunt and lay there, gasping for breath.

"What the hell are you?" Maddy asks from her corner. "You turned that guard into ash like he was nothing, and that... whatever it's called... was nearly three times your size!" She took a breath, then continues as she approaches me.

Human beings can't run on walls, nor can they melt glass windows with their bare hands, and they sure as hell don't burst into flames!Now answer me, Stanley. What. Are. You?"

A click sounds and I turn my ash-covered head. Maddy faces me, a loaded .45 M1911 in her shaking hands. I sigh and use my telekinesis to gently take it from her hands.

She resists at first, but after a few light tugs Maddy relinquishes the weapon and falls to her knees weeping softly.

Struggling to an upright position, I embrace Maddy as her body is shaken with wave after wave of sobs.

"I'm sorry, Stanley, I really am." she manages between tears. "They took my father, and soon after mom disappeared too." Another wave of tears racks her frail figure. "I was so alone."

I rest her head on my shoulder as she crys and I look past, at her mother and father. The old man is on the ground, weak from his long hours in Mog captivity.

Her mother isn't much better, and I can see that they don't have long left. Even if they do live long, the Mogs would be on their trail in a matter of days, if not hours.

Maddy's mother looks up from her husband and locks eyes with me. A slight glimmer shows in her expression, one I haven't seen in a long while.

Gratitude.

"Whoever, or whatever you are, thank you." her mother said. "It means a great deal to her."

I nod, acknowledging her thanks. "Will you be alright?" I ask.

She nods. "Of course we will. This bag of bones isn't through yet." She motions to Maddy, still in my arms. "I'd be more worried about her. She seemed pretty shaken when those guys took her from you." Her mother smiles, reminiscing over something.

"What?" I ask. "You're hiding something."

She laughs. "Nothing, just that I've never seen Madeline act that way before. She must love you quite a bit, young man."

I look down at Maddy, who has cried herself to sleep in my arms. She breathes softly into my neck, making my hairs stand on end. I smile softly.

"I think that's for her to say, not me." I murmur. "But yeah."

Maddy's father grunts in pain as her struggles to an upright position.

"I'll let you know one thing." he says. "I don't care if you're human or alien or Jesus Christ himself. If you hurt my little girl, I will hunt you down." He fixes me with a stare that only a father can stare, one that chills me to the bone and deeper. "Is that understood?"

I swallow and nod. "Yes sir." I manage.

He sighs and sits back. "Good."

A pregnant silence sits between us for a few seconds until I break it.

"Sir?" I ask. "The Mogadorians said that you saw something you shouldn't have..." I trail off, my unsaid question hanging in the air.

He barks a laugh. "That's an understatement, kid." He licks his lips.

"Almost a decade ago a group of friends and I witnessed a craft land on Earth. I mean, we all knew there were aliens out there, but this was extraordinary." He pauses, thinking back to that time. "There weren't many people on board, 19 in total. 9 kids, 9 adults and the pilot." Another pause. "They looked just like humans, too. Imagine that!"

"Anyways, they said they were running from something, and that one of us had been called by them. I'm not entirely sure who it was, but it sure as sugar wasn't me." He laughs. "A man stepped forward, introduced us, and we gave them everything they needed: money, supplies, a manual on how to fit in on Earth, and even new identities. They were handed an envelope containing a location to go to, and that's the last we heard of them."

"So what happened?" I ask.

He frowns. "The other ones came soon after, though the way they acted said they'd been here before. They hunted down the ones who helped the others, and killed them. Those who fled were captured and tortured, but when they didn't give the information they wanted they were killed too." He sighs. " I think I'm the last Welcomer left."

"Welcomer?"

"That's what we called ourselves." he says. "Anyways, what's it to you?"

I take a breath, realizing I owe this old man much more than I can give him.

"I'm one of those kids, Number Nine." I mentally pull my pant leg up, revealing the scars burned into my legs. "And I'm one of seven still alive."

He smiles. "Good to know we did some good. Take care of my daughter, Nine."

I nod and lift Maddy over my should with my good arm, her sleeping figure rather light. I look to her parents, who watch with amazement. "I'll come back for you." I promise.

Using my mind to rip open the charred ceiling, I manipulate our gravity and jump through the hole into the sunlit rooftop.

I squint, the light straining my eyes. When they adjust, I realize where I am: a USA Army base.

"Well, fuck."

* * *

**Alright, R&R! Flamers will be warned, and members of Critics United and other such groups will be banned and reported.**

**Remember, trust no one. **

**- Discordian  
**


	6. Chapter 6: Hidden Punishment

**Hey guys, so sorry for the wait. Here's the chapter!**

**-Discordian**

* * *

_**Nine**_

Maddy sleeps on the floor of the stone hut we're staying in. I sit a few feet away, conversing with the owner of said hut.

I don't know if it's intuition of just dumb luck that led me here, but I'm thankful for the owner's generosity.

After we busted out of the military base, I hotwired a Jeep and drove like hell, desperate to leave the base behind. We ran out of gas a couple hours later, so I abandoned the vehicle and carried Maddy until we came to a group of houses built into a cliff face, remnants of long-gone Indians.

The hut in question was small, with two rooms and a kitchen and bathroom, but it was welcome. The only person living here was the groundskeeper for the nearby Indian graves. A few quick words were enough to convince him to let us stay and pretty soon we were resting, safe for the moment.

"So tell me," the groundskeeper begins, "why are you out so far?"

I search my mind for a viable answer. "We're rock climbing." I manage, defaulting back to the Windy Wall.

Our host laughs. "Please, spare me your stories. You didn't get injuries like that from climbing the cliffs." He points to my arm and torso. "Your breathing is pained. A bruised rib, maybe?"

I sigh, then immediately wish I hadn't; my chest spikes with pain I'd not felt before. "Dammit.." I gasp.

"My guess is that you're running from something. Your pasts? Responsibilities?" He glances at Maddy, then adds, "Parents?"

I blush. "Police." I choke out. "You won't..." I trail off.

The old man laughs. "Don't worry, I won't say anything. We all have our secrets." He spreads his hands. "Anything you need, just ask."

"Thanks." I mutter. Then, "Are you wanted too?"

He shakes his head. "No, no. Just an old Indian who's tired of the Government."

* * *

It's a few hours before Maddy wakes, and my host and I spend that time tending to my wounds. An old belt serves as a sling for my broken arm, and a poultice soothes the pain in my ribs. I still cringe when I breathe, but the pain is dull.

I notice Maddy standing in the entrance to the room giggling at my shirtless figure. I blush, and our host looks between us before standing.

"I think I'll go check on dinner." he says.

I chuckle inwardly as the man leaves the room. "Alright."

Maddy approaches my seat on the floor and sits beside me, her hands in her lap. An awkward silence hangs in the room; neither of us knows what to say. Finally Maddy speaks up.

"I suppose I should thank you." she says.

There's no need to ask what for.

"I really didn't mean to hurt you, Stanley. I just wanted to see my parents again. I didn't know they wou-"

"It's not Stanley." I say, cutting her off.

"What?"

"My name isn't Stanley." I say solemnly. "To tell you the truth, I don't have a name. If I did, I don't remember it now."

Maddy scoots closer. "Why not?"

I frown. "I don't belong here, that's why." I yank my pant leg up, revealing the scars burned into my flesh. "Ever see something like that before?"

Maddy sucks her breath in. "What are they?"

"Reminders." I reply. "Reminders to keep fighting, to stay alive." I drop my pant leg and turn to look at her.

"Those guys killed my family and friends, my whole entire race even. I won't rest until they're dead, each and every one of them."

I probably shouldn't, but I tell Maddy about the Loric, how we were forced to abandon our planet only to come to Earth and hide. I tell her everything, about the Mogs and how they caught Number One and Number Two, and about the Charm that protected us until recently. I lead up to how I was captured and end with how I broke out of the military base, her in tow.

By the time I finish my story I'm clenching my fist, my emotions threatening to show. I punch the ground in front of me and crevices appear as I attempt to rid myself of the offending feelings.

Maddy notices the cracks and decides to change the subject. "So does everyone from your planet have powers like yours?"

I shake my head. "Only the Garde. The ones without powers, or Legacies, are called Cepan. They teach the Garde, who protect Lorien." I pause, then mutter, "Or at least they tried to."

"Oh."

Maddy is silent for a time, content with sitting beside me and watching my moves as I rearrange miniscule objects with my mind. I think ten or fifteen minutes have passed before she speaks again.

"Why did you save me?" she asks.

"Because I love you, Mads." I say. "It's as simple as that."

Maddy smiles. " That's nice to hear. "

Our host pops his head in the doorway. "Dinner's ready." he announces.

Maddy and I smile. "Alright," I tell him. "We'll be out in a second."

* * *

**_Three_**

A Mog dagger.

I try to focus and switch my arm, even if only to block. My Legacy, however, doesn't seem to respond. So I do the only thing I can.

I duck.

The dagger flies over my back, barely missing my hair. It lands in the dirt behind me.

" Are you crazy?! " I ask Henri. "That could've killed me!"

Henry thinks, then holds up two fingers in the sign for 'just a little'.

Adam laughs and I turn on him. "You want to die, Mog boy?" I snap.

Adam holds up his hands in surrender. "Dude, chill. His joke was pretty funny."

I sigh and toss the dagger to the ground, where it sizzles in the dirt.

"Henri, why the hell would my powers not work?" I ask.

Henri holds up the stone he pulled from my Chest. "Ebeta stone. It removes a Loric's Legacies for a short time, about an hour or two." He pauses, then chuckles. "What do you think the purpose of this exercise is, Three?"

I mutter under my breath. "Telekinesis."

"Exactly. You can't develop telekinesis if you always rely on weaponization."

"Yes sir," I grumble.

"And Adam?"

"Yes?"

"I wasn't joking."

This goes on for a good portion of the afternoon, with Adamus interjecting comments every so often. The training session ends as the sun sets, with me on the ground. Bruises litter my arms and torso, making it hard to breathe.

Henri tells me to wash up for dinner, a task easier said than done. I have Adam help me up, and we make our way inside to get cleaned up for dinner.

"You know, Three," he says, "training might go easier if you spent more time training than lying in the dirt."

I growl and punch him in the arm before turning on the tap and cleaning my hands and arms. My legs will have to wait until after dinner.

* * *

Dinner is a mixture of grilled chicken and potatoes, with a side of Udon noodles. We're finishing up dinner, Adamus and I, when the phone rings. Henri looks to the caller ID, then to me.

"You'd better hope it's to nominate you, Three." Henri says, then answers the phone.

"Dude, you are _so _going to get it," Adam says before bolting upstairs.

I listen to Henri on the phone.

"Uh-huh. Yeah. He and John did _what?_ To how many members of the team?" He sighs. "Alright sir, I'll take it up with them. Thank you. Goodnight."

He hangs up with a slam of the receiver before sounding his voice throughout the house.

"JOHN!"

Four bounds down the stairs and jumps the banister halfway, landing in front of Henri and I.

"What's up, Henri?"

"Your principal just called. Apparently you and Ishara here," he places heavy emphasis on my pseudonym, " beat up half of the Paradise High football team. That's 25 kids, John!"

Four shrugs. "They were blocking the hallway."

"I don't care if Queen Victoria is blocking the hallway, we don't reveal our powers!" Henri is shouting now, his voice raised higher than I've heard it before.

"Henri, we didn't show our powers! Nothing was shown about us or the Mogs!" John's voice is raised now too, rising above Henri's.

"Guys, stop." I say. "Nothing was shown, and nobody was hurt."

"Hurt? There are three boys in the hospital because of you! Mark James has a broken nose, Carlos Rodriguez has a broken arm, and Damion T'shawn needs stitches in his genitals. His _genitals_, Ishara! You call that 'not hurt' ?!"

I cringe. "I meant not seriously. Besides, we'll just sell some of my jewels to pay the bills and be done with it. Alright?" I'm calm now, and I see that John and Henri seem to be settling down a bit.

"Fine," Henri murmurs. "But at the first sign of Mog activity we pack up and leave. Got it?"

John and I respond simultaneously.

"Fine."

"Understood."

'Now, get upstairs and go to bed. We'll settle this more tomorrow morning."

We sigh and nod Henri goodnight, then climb the stairs to our rooms, mine with Adamus while John shares his with Henri.

I share a room with Adam not out of space issues, but since he arrived with me Henri only thinks it fair that Adam bunk with me. I know the real reason, though. It's so I make sure that Adam doesn't go out of control.

I open the door to find Adam with his ear to the floor, his eyes set on the door. When I walk in he jumps to his feet.

"Man, you got roasted. Just wait till the principal gets his hands on you."

"Adam, " I begin, "Four and I got Mark James, correct? "

"Yeah, of course." he answers.

"Then I punched some dude in the balls, right?"

"What about it?"

"Just asking... Who broke one guy's arm?"

At this Adam balks. "Umm... "

I smile and head to my bed and lay down, pulling the blankets over my body. "Night, Adam.

He laughs. "Night Ishara."

Sleep comes quickly, and I welcome it like an old friend.

* * *

**Hey guys, it's Discordian. Well, not anymore. It's come to my attention that, at the time of this writing there is a political group with the same name as me, and they have threatened to file a case against me if i don't change my name.** **So as of now, my name is Discordant Night.**

**I apologize for the long wait, I was in the hospital for a time. Don't worry, though. More chapters will come soon.**

**Remember, trust no one.**

**- Discordant Night.**


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